Tales of Batgirl
by D4RKL0RDR3V4N
Summary: A series of connected non-chronological one-shots centered around Batgirl/Barbara Gordon in and after the Dark Knight trilogy.
1. Return of Batgirl

**Author's Note: This is not another story. Technically. This will be a series of connected oneshots that will be added to as, when and if I feel like it so don't expect updates or any consistent length. They are all an imagining of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in and after the Dark Knight Trilogy and in no particular order. If there is a particular moment you would like to see, tell me in a review and I'll consider. Do note, that since I can't find a definitive timeline, I will be making one that suits me (to a degree) and so some things will be referenced as having happened later than in the films (e.g. the appearance of the Joker). As for Shiva's appearance, think Arkham Origins.**

 **Gotham, August 2016, Seven Months after Defeat of Bane**

John Blake grunted as another fist impacted his ribs. The body armour may absorb some force but it didn't help much against highly trained and strong martial artists. When he had responded to Commissioner Gordon's signal, he had not expected to be chasing honest-to-god ninjas across the city and end up fighting half a dozen of them in an old warehouse.

He had taken up the mantle of Batman just under four months ago now and had managed fairly well. He might not have the skill or stealth that Bruce Wayne had had during his tenure as Batman but it had never been a problem since he was facing common thugs. Then the assassin known as Lady Shiva had escaped from her cell at Blackgate, having stayed there during Bane's occupation, and Blake had been asked by Gordon to track her down after she had easily beaten the police officers that tried to stop her.

A heel caught his chin, sending him crashing to the ground. Shiva stepped forward, frown on her face.

"I had expected so much better from the infamous Batman. I suppose we all live to be disappointed," Shiva commented as she drew her sword.

Before she could follow through and decapitate him, there was a loud smash of breaking glass followed by the crack of a boot colliding with a head. The ninja in question was sent flying into the wall by the force of the kick, collapsing to the ground unconscious with his red mask sporting a large crack. The black-clad figure stood up from its crouch in the middle of the room and glared around.

After a seven month absence, Batgirl had returned.

"Stand down, Shiva. No one else has to get hurt," the woman growled, distorting her voice much like Wayne had done.

"I disagree," Shiva retorted before leaping forward.

Batgirl parried the sword with her right gauntlet whilst counter-attacking with her left fist. Shiva dodged out of the way and the fight began. The two women danced around the warehouse, neither landing a significant blow, although Batgirl clearly had the advantage even to Blake's untrained eye. Eventually, Batgirl managed to land an open-palm strike to Shiva's sternum, knocking her off-balance, before following it up with an uppercut to the chin. Shiva staggered back into the wall and glared at Batgirl.

"It would seem that one bat, at least, lives up to expectations," Shiva sneered, wiping blood from her cut lip.

"Surrender," Batgirl ordered.

Shiva's response came in the form of an instruction to her companions.

"Kill her."

Batgirl spun around, catching the first strike on her gauntlet before spinning out of the path of the second. Blake could only watch from the ground nearby as six martial artists attacked the lone vigilante. Any concern he may have felt for Batgirl vanished pretty quickly as he watched her trounce the people who had so soundly beaten him as though they were amateurs rather than professionals who dedicated their lives to fighting.

As the fight progressed, the number of foes decreased. One fell to a punishing elbow to the temple, another to a hard kick to the throat, a third had the fingers of both hands crushed between a wall and his sword hilt. Shiva staggered away from the fight after a sharp kick nearly broke her knee. As the assassin limped from the warehouse, Batgirl finished the last two ninjas before stalking across to Blake.

"Are you okay?" she growled.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he responded in kind.

"Good. Stay here. The last thing we need is a beaten Batman on the morning news," was all Batgirl said before prowling out of the warehouse into the night.

"Shiva! I'm bringing you in."

Shiva stopped her movement across the car park, back still to Batgirl. A news helicopter hovered over the pair, spotlight shining down, while police sirens could be heard in the distance. Shiva turned to face her opponent before speaking.

"I believe the League of Shadows may have something to say about that."

"The League of Shadows is gone! Any remnants went down with Talia al Ghul and Bane," Batgirl snarled.

Shiva laughed.

"We are not gone, merely… diminished."

Batgirl looked around as black-clad ninjas slid out of shadows, leapt from rooftops and vaulted onto cars. Shiva grinned as twenty warriors surrounded the vigilante, swords raised.

"What do you do now, I wonder?" Shiva taunted.

"I make the cells at Blackgate very full."

Across Gotham, any people still watching the news were treated with live images of the scene, with every local news channel broadcasting the return of Batgirl. The people watched with rapt attention as the black-clad men and women attacked the lone black-clad vigilante. They joined Shiva watching in shock as Batgirl held off twenty highly trained killers. One by one, the red-masked fighters were taken out of the fight until only Shiva and Batgirl stood in the car park once more.

"Time for you to return to your cell," Batgirl growled.

"I think not, ten years was sufficient," Shiva refuted, raising her sword.

Batgirl tensed, hand reaching for her belt. With reflexes honed by years of crime fighting, Batgirl whipped a batarang at the other woman, hitting the hilt of her sword. Instinctively, Shiva released the hilt just as she was about to drive the blade into her stomach. Before she had a chance to recover, Batgirl was on her and knocked her out with an elbow to the temple.

Batgirl stepped away as the police cars pulled into the car park. Commissioner Gordon stepped forward to meet her while the other officers snapped cuffs on the members of the League.

"Batgirl, good to see you again," Gordon greeted.

"Commissioner. Take care with them, they're highly trained, very dangerous and may still have accomplices," Batgirl growled.

"Understood."

He glanced around before lowering his voice.

"How's Batman?"

"He'll be fine. I do wonder what you were thinking, sending someone after her who doesn't have much more training than an officer. Especially after you saw what she did to your subordinates," Batgirl responded, also lowering her voice.

"I didn't exactly have another option," Gordon pointed out.

Batgirl merely grunted in response. Gordon turned to look at where his officers were still cuffing the last of their new prisoners.

"I'll see to it that they're put in suitable cells. Can I expect your assistance again from now on?" Gordon asked, turning back to Batgirl.

Or rather, the space that Batgirl had occupied when he'd last checked.

"Every goddamn time," Gordon muttered.

The next night, as Batgirl stood on the roof of Wayne Tower, looking out over Gotham, she allowed herself a small smile. Bruce was happy with Selina Kyle in Europe. Lucius Fox had agreed to still provide surreptitious aid when he could. James Gordon was having the police actively work with the Batman. And while John Blake might be new to the whole thing, he had potential.

Yes, Barbara Gordon thought, it is good to be back.

As the Bat Signal appeared in the sky, Batgirl grinned briefly before launching herself off the roof and into the night.


	2. Batgirl Begins

**Gotham, April m2003, Seven months since the Disaster in the Narrows**

Barbara Gordon kicked the would-be mugger in the chin, sending him to the ground unconscious. His companion took a step forward before his eyes widened in fear and he staggered back a few steps and turned and ran down the alley.

"Yeah, you better run," Barbara crowed.

She turned to walk out of the alley and almost screamed.

Batman was crouched on top of a nearby bin.

"You're gonna get yourself killed," he growled.

"So are you," Barbara retorted.

"I'm not using a leather jacket and a ski mask. Go home."

With that, he pulled out a grapple and disappeared onto the rooftops.

 **Gotham, Two weeks later**

"I thought I told you to stop."

Barbara whipped around to face the source of the voice. Batman was crouched on a nearby wall, watching her.

"No. You can't clean up this city on your own and you can't worry about every mugger and thief. Besides, I can look after myself," Barbara replied.

"You've got some skill, I'll give you that, but it won't help if you meet someone with a gun. You're better off stopping while you can."

"I'll be fine. It's not like I'm in much more danger than I would be otherwise."

"For now," was all Batman said before once more disappearing onto the rooftops.

 **Gotham, Three weeks later**

Barbara was walking home after beating up another three muggers, ski mask in her pocket. As she turned down an alley, she ignored the wail of sirens in the distance, common as it was.

She let out a scream when she was suddenly yanked into the air and deposited on the rooftop.

Batman stood over her, glaring down at her as he seemed to with everyone.

"You still haven't stopped," Batman growled.

"I'm not going to. The people of Gotham need all the help they can get."

"You're ill-equipped, badly trained and a danger to your own safety. I can't let that go on."

"So what? You going to call the cops on me?" Barbara snorted.

"No. I'm going to make you harder to kill. Meet me on this roof tomorrow night," Batman told her before running off over the rooftops, leaving her to make her way down the fire escape.

The next night, as instructed, Barbara made her way to the alley again. Climbing the fire escape, she came face-to-mask with Batman.

"So… why are we here?" she asked him.

"You're going to keep doing this no matter what I do or say. So I'm going to improve your chances," Batman told her before he swung at her.

Thus began Barbara's training under the Batman. Every second night, they would meet on that rooftop and Batman would teach her. After three months, that changed.

"Nice car," Barbara commented when she saw the tank sitting in the alley.

"Thanks. Get in," Batman ordered.

With barely a second thought, she climbed into the seat next to him. As they tore across Gotham, managing to avoid the police completely, Barbara took the time to wonder where they were going. When they raced off down a dirt path and launched through a waterfall into a cave, Barbara started to wonder if maybe getting into the car had been a mistake.

Batman climbed out of the so-called Batmobile and stepped onto a structure that raised itself out of the water. As Barbara cautiously followed him onto the rising platform, a panel on the floor raised up to reveal a case containing a suit.

It looked almost identical to Batman's suit except it was clearly designed for a woman.

"Wait, what is this?"

"I call it the Batcave. It's our base of operations, where everything is kept during the day."

"Okay, but why - wait did you say 'our'?"

"I did. Suit up, Batgirl, we're going hunting."

Batman guided her through the process of putting on her suit before leading her back to what he told her was actually called the Tumbler as opposed to the Batmobile. Barbara grinned under her mask as Batman and Batgirl tore out of the Batcave.


	3. Batgirl vs Deadshot

**Author's Note: A lot of people will probably recognise the style of scene in the hall. It is based on the predator encounters of the Batman: Arkham game series. If you don't recognise it, go play Arkham City at the very least. At this point, Barbara is 17.**

 **Gotham, May 2004, Eight months after First Sighting of Batgirl**

Barbara sat in the Batcave, cowl tossed to the ground next to her while tears streamed down her face. She barely even glanced up when Alfred stepped into the 'cave.

"Miss Gordon? Are you alright?" Alfred asked as he stepped closer.

"Bruce doesn't want me here. He doesn't trust me," Barbara said between sobs.

"Master Bruce most certainly does trust you. What he doesn't trust is his own ability to teach you. He most certainly wants you here. That's why he takes so much care when you're out on patrol: he cares about you," Alfred soothed.

"Well maybe he's wrong. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this, not after how spectacularly I failed against Deathstroke," Barbara sniffled.

"Why do we fall, Miss Gordon?" Alfred asked her.

Barbara shrugged slightly.

"So we can learn, to pick ourselves up again."

Barbara sniffled once, wiping the last few tears from her eyes.

"Now, it looks like Master Bruce could use Batgirl's help," Alfred told her as he pointed to the nearby news broadcast.

The channel in question was displaying the outside of the Gotham Grand Hotel while the news anchor and the ticker proclaimed that the party guests had been taken hostage by the notorious assassin Deadshot and his associates. Since there was a big event happening there, Bruce Wayne had been invited and so was trapped inside. As the news anchor announced that Deadshot had demanded Batman hand himself over, both Barbara and Alfred nearly laughed at the irony.

"Good thing I can drive stick then," Barbara stated as she rose to her feet.

She wiped the tear tracks from her face and started striding toward the Tumbler.

"Miss Gordon? You appear to have forgotten your mask," Alfred pointed out, amused.

Barbara let out a sheepish chuckle as she jogged back to pick up her mask before going to the Tumber. With a roar, the Tumbler turned on before blasting out of the Batcave.

 **Gotham, Fifteen Minutes Later**

Bruce knelt between two of the other hostages as he tried to think of a way out of this mess. However, every scenario he could think of, he was killed, captured and/or revealed as Batman. The police wouldn't come in, with most of the city's rich and famous as hostages the couldn't risk it. His musings were interrupted by a most surprising sound.

The sound of shattering glass split the air from above shortly before shards rained down from above. And falling amongst the glass, headed straight for Deadshot, was the to-him-unmistakeable form of Batgirl.

Before Deadshot could react, Batgirl snapped open her cape and, before landing, delivered a sharp kick to his chin. The moment she landed, she surged upward, catching him on the chin with a punishing uppercut before smashing her elbow into his temple on the way back down.

Deadshot hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.

His six hired gunmen shakily aimed their weapons at the woman, terrified at the idea of facing one of the Bats without their leader. Batgirls wrist twitched and there was a big flash of light that blinded everyone in the hall momentarily. When their vision cleared, Batgirl had vanished once more.

The gunmen spread out, trying to find out where she had disappeared to. As one of them passed underneath where Bruce knew one of the gargoyles was located, he let out a scream as he disappeared into the shadows above before he fell back toward the ground unconscious, coming to a stop hanging halfway between the ceiling and the floor, suspended by a cable. The others fired wildly into the shadows above but Bruce knew Batgirl would have moved on almost immediately.

As they scattered around the room once more, Bruce smirked internally as they played right into Barbara's hands. As one of them passed the end of a table, he found himself pulled down, smashing his head off the table and knocking him out instantly. Two of his compatriots ran over to investigate the noise. As they searched nearby for Batgirl, Bruce caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye as one of the other criminals was dragged into the shadows before he could even scream.

The remaining three were on the verge of panic. Their guns shook and they jumped at the slightest sound, almost shooting each other a few times. As two of them backed toward each other, Bruce could already see what was going to happen. As he had expected, just as they got close to each other, Batgirl appeared between them, suspended from a gargoyle by her ankles. Reaching out with both arms she grabbed them across the mouth and smacked their heads together before disappearing back into the shadows above.

The remaining man was now firmly in a state of fear beyond terrified. In his terror, he grabbed Bruce and held the gun to his head.

"Show yourself, freak!" he yelled, spinning around.

He only got a brief glimpse of black armour and fabric before Batgirl's boot collided with his forehead. She landed behind his unconscious form in a crouch, cape flapping to the ground around her as it suddenly softened once more. Barbara stood up to her full height, a slightly above average (for her age) 1.72 metres.

"Get out of here. The cops can have them now," Batgirl growled.

As the VIPs practically ran from the hall, Batgirl pulled out her grapple and retreated to the rooftop to observe. Just as she disappeared over the edge of the only shattered pane of glass in the glass ceiling, the police officers entered the ballroom and started to cuff the various criminals. Batgirl couldn't quite hear what they were saying but decided that, since they were effectively detaining the assassin and his hired muscle, she probably didn't need to know. As the last of the unconscious prisoners were carried from the hall, Batgirl leapt off the side of the building and glided down to the Tumbler before taking off into the night.

 **Gotham, Approximately Eight Hours Later**

When a tired Bruce finally managed to escape the police and the press and return to the manor, it was just gone seven in the morning. He stepped into the kitchen to find an exhausted Barbara almost falling asleep in a bowl of cereal at the table while Alfred calmly finished setting the table. The nearby television displayed the news channel, which was still announcing the top story of the capture of the hostages by "infamous master assassin" Deadshot and their subsequent rescue by Batgirl.

"Ah, Master Bruce. Nice to see you managed to make it for breakfast," Alfred commented by way of greeting as he stepped forward.

Barbara's head jerked up from where it had been about to fall into her bowl and she turned bleary eyes on Bruce. She grunted in greeting before turning back to her breakfast. Bruce raised an eyebrow at the action before looking to Alfred in askance.

"After saving yourself and the hostages, Miss Gordon patrolled the city for the rest of the night. She returned shortly before you did, almost crashed the Tumbler into the side of the Batcave. It seems that singlehandedly patrolling the city took a lot out of her," Alfred quietly explained.

"So you invited her for breakfast?" Bruce asked.

"I invited her to make use of one of the bedrooms, sir. It may make it harder to explain but it's easier than sending her home when she'd probably fall asleep on the way," Alfred remarked.

Bruce nodded.

"I'm sure we'll manage to find a good reason. Even one good enough to satisfy her father, Lieutenant Gordon," Bruce commented.

"I'm sure you will, but first we should let her rest," Alfred stated, his tone brooking no argument.

Both looked around as a loud sputtering came from the direction of the table. Barbara sat there blinking tired eyes in confused shock as milk dripped from her fringe. Bruce and Alfred couldn't help but laugh at the sight, earning an even more confused look from the tired teen.


End file.
